Season preparations begin

ANTICIPATION is high for the opening round of the 2014 Illawarra and South Coast Junior Rugby League season this Saturday.

Season preparations begin

Former Kiama Knights junior league and now Australian star Brett Morris joined players from each team in the South Coast area for a photo at Kiama's Blowhole Point last week in preparation for the 2014 season, which kicks off on Saturday. Picture: ALBEY BOND

ANTICIPATION is high for the opening round of the 2014 Illawarra and South Coast Junior Rugby League season this Saturday.

A near-record 354 teams will take part up and down the South Coast and Illawarra, from Batemans Bay in the south to Helensburgh in the north.

St George Illawarra community officer Adam Bezzina said apart from running clinics at schools, the Dragons have also taken part in the NRL's Tackling Bullying program, which relays the message of anti-bullying.

"Along with the NRL and ARL development officers we have visited 130 schools from Eden to Kogarah, passing on this important message to more than 30,000 children," Bezzina said.

"The National Rugby League is committed to stamping out bullying and we have been delighted with the response to date."

This year's South Coast Junior Rugby League will again have teams from 15 South Coast clubs and a further 14 Illawarra clubs. The South Coast clubs were joined by former Kiama Knights local junior, St George Illawarra Dragons star Brett Morris at Kiama Blowhole in the lead-up to the season kicking off.

If you are interested in playing rugby league, registrations can still be made at your nearest club, which you can find on the playNRL.com website.